Caster



UNITED `STATES PATENT Genion.

VALLACE C. RANSDEN AND CHARLES R. RANSDEN, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

GAST-ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 539,543, dated May 21 1895.

Application filed December 29, 18254. Serial No. 533,280. (No model.)

T0 alZZ whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that we,'WALLACE (lRANS-A DEN and CHARLES R. RANsDEN, of Brockton, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain ynew and useful Improvements in Furniture Casters, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

racks, or other movable receptacles for the manufactured goods orarticlesin theprocess of manufacture, mounted upon casters are more or less extensively used, a serious difficulty has been found to exist which to a greater' or less extent prevents the proper operation of the casters when constructed in the ordinary way owing to the clogging of the caster truck to such an extent as to prevent its rotation, by bits of yarn, thread, hairs, shavings of woodror leather or other material becoming wound about the axle about which said truck revolves, and wedged between the hub of said truck and the ears of the truck holder in which said axle is mounted. This difficulty is particularly serious in shoe factories where bits of waxed thread are very plentifully scattered about upon the floor and mixed with leather, shavin gs and other waste material, and where vframes or racks heavily loaded with boots or shoes have to be frequently moved from one part of the factory to another. These racks are fitted with casters to facilitate their movement about the factory, but it voften happens that the caster truck becomes so clogged with waxed threads and shavings, Wound about the axle and wedged into the joint between the hub of the trucks and the ears of the truck carriersfthat the trucks will not revolve at all, and soon become' worn out or round thus spoiling the casters. To overcome this objection is the object of our invention and to this end we have ,designed the caster illus trated in the accompanying drawings, in whichl Figure l is a side elevation of a caster, illustrating the most simple form of our invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the opposite side of the same caster. Fig. 3 is a sectional velevation of the same viewed atright angles to Figs. 1 and 2, the cutting planes being on lines ma; and y y on Figs. l and 2. Fig. 4 is an elevation ot' the pendent truck-support detaohed from the spindle and socket and with the truck and stud removed. Fig. 5 is aside elevation of a caster provided with a truckclearer. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the same viewed at right angles to Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a side elevation viewedn from a direction Aopposite to that of Fig. 5 and'illustrating another form of the truck-clearer. l

In Ithe drawings A is the socket to be set in the leg or base'of the rack or other article to besupported by the casters in which socket is fitted the spindle B so as to be revoluble therein all in a well known manner.

The spindle B has firmly secured to its lower end, or formed in one piece therewith, the pendent truck carrying stand C, comprising vthe hub or collar a, the pendent obliquely in* -clined varm b, and the collar or flange c, as

clearly shown in Figs. l anda.

D is the caster truck chambered upon one side to receive the collar or flange c so that the rim of said truck projects over' the periphery of said collar or flange as shown in Fig. 3.

E is a stud set in the stand C to form a bearing for the truck D, and is provided on its outer end with the collar or head dwhich fits into and substantially fills a smaller centrai recess formed in the outer-face of said truck as shown in Fig. 3.

. The inclined arm b of the pendentv truck supporting stand C is connectedrto the hub a atone side thereof, and at a sufficient distance from the center of said hub and the axis of the spindle B so that when the truck D is mounted in position with the center of its axial length in the same vertical plane as the axis of the spindle B there shall be a liberal space between the inner edge of the rim of said truck and the inner face of said pendent inclined arm b as shown at c in Figs. 3 and G and between said arm and collar or flange c as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

lVith a caster constructed as described there is no possibility ofthe truck becoming clogged and thus rendered inoperative by the waxed threads or other refuse being wound upon the journal upon which the truck revolves. They may be wound around the hub of the arm b between isaid arm and the collar c but that would not affect the rotation of said truck.

In some cases we provide the lower end of the arm b with the horizontal extension b the outer end of which is bent at right anglesl to its mainbody and extends across, and has its inner face tted to the curved edge of the truck D, and in such close proximity thereto that any thread or other material which might adhere to said truck` would be scraped off thereby, said lateral extension Wbeing made V shaped in elevation with the apex of the V extending to the outer face of said truck as shown in Fig. G.

Instead of the V shaped lateral extension b2 fitting closely to the periphery of the truck we may make said extension with its upper and lower edges parallel and slightly removed from the periphery of said truck and secure thereto a light leaf springf, the free end or ends of which press lightly upon the periphery of said truck as shown in Fig. 7 and act as a doctor plate to remove any foreign substance that may adhere to the periphery of said truck.

The operation of our invention will be readily understood from the foregoing without further explanation here.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. In a caster the combination with a supporting socket and a swiveling spindle, of a truck supporting stand provided with a single pendent inclined arm having atits lower end a hub to receive the truck supporting stud and a circular collar or ange concentric with said stud, with a space between said collar and arm; a truck recessed upon one side to receive said collar and upon the other side to receive the head of its supporting stud; and a stud set in said arm and forming a journal for said truck without projecting beyond its outer face.

2. The combination in a caster, of a supporting socket; a swiveling spindle mounted therein; the truck carrying stand or hanger C, comprising a single pendent inclined arm ZJ with a hub at its lower end, the collar c surrounding said hub and removed from the inner face of said arm b; a stud set in saidhub and provided with a head upon its outer end; the truck D mounted on said stud with its rim projecting over the peripheral edge of said collar; and a doctor plate formed in one piece with said truck supporting arm constructed, arranged and operating to clean the periphery of said truck as it is revolved.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specificationJ in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 28th day of December, A. D. 1894:.

WALLACE C. RANSDEN. CHARLES R. RANSDEN.

Witnesses:

N. C. LOMBARD, .VALTER E. LOMBARD. 

